Emily's Great Idea
by xmoonlightxdreamsx
Summary: A short rambling/fluffy muse on an idea Emily has for Jack, that came about while thinking of her own bun in the oven.


Emily had been thinking about this for a while, but now that she was pregnant the notion seemed even more important. She was sure Jack would like it; maybe he wouldn't understand the significance in the gesture, but she could bet that some day he would be grateful he had it.

But what about Aaron? Jessica, even? She couldn't just go behind their backs and do this. Not that she'd be able to gather her materials without them, but still, the thought of approaching either of them scared her a bit.

She felt that she **had **to do this for Jack though. Placing her hand on her growing belly, she had realized that if anything happened to her, she could only hope someone would do something like this for her child.

Emily decided to approach Jessica, first, since she was Hailey's sister, and had known her longer than Aaron had. And, she thought that Jessica might be the harder of the two to persuade to go along with her idea.

On her way driving to pick up Jack from a sleepover at his aunt's; Emily decided she would ask Jessica tonight about it. Emily's nervousness may not have been showing in her face or mannerisms, but her fingernails definitely had been suffering again.

When Jessica answered, she gave Emily a warm smile. Initially, Jessica took some time to warm up to the idea of Aaron being with someone else, but after a while they had hit it off, so to speak. A large part of it, Emily was sure, was concern for Jack.

Then they hit a bit of a rough patch when Jack started calling Emily 'mommy', but that quickly changed when Jessica realized that Emily was doing everything she could to make sure Jack remembered his 'angel mommy.'

"How are you?" she greeted, but before Emily had time to answer, a whirlwind by the name of Jack Hotchner came barreling into her.

"Jack, easy buddy. Remember that she's got your little brother or sister in there," Jessica laughed at the energetic boy.

"Sorry mommy," Jack sheepishly grinned, suddenly embarrassed and ashamed of what he had just done.

"It's alright Jack, I guess it's easy to forget when my belly's not too big yet, huh? But hey, how about you go gather your stuff, I have to ask your aunt something, okay?"

"Yes m'am," Jack fake saluted and chuckled before tumbling up the stairs.

"What's up, Em? Your playing with your nails again," Jessica said in a lame attempt to lighten the mood a bit for Emily.

"Well I wanted to ask you something. See, I have this idea in my head, and I was hoping you wouldn't be opposed to it, and that maybe you could help me out?"

"Shoot," Jessica encouraged patiently.

"I want to make a scrapbook for Jack. Of his mother- of him and his mother. I've never made one before, but I think it's a good idea. And I think he'll really appreciate it when he gets older… I don't mean to intrude or-"

"Emily," Jessica stopped her. "I'd be more than happy to help you. You're so good for Jack, and Aaron. And I can't tell you how much it means to me that you do all of this to help him remember my sister," she said tearing up.

"What do you need?" She asked as she composed herself before she was in full-out breakdown mode.

"Anything, really, mainly pictures I guess. I'd love it if you'd help me put it all together, and add some memories and notes, something along those lines?" Emily asked, most of her nervousness fading away but with a few anxious butterflies remaining in her stomach with the baby.

"Of course, I'd love to help. Have you talked to Aaron about this yet?" Jessica asked.

"No, not yet, he's next though. I'm hoping he's as keen on the idea as you are," Emily said.

"I'm sure he'll be as thrilled as I am. Thank you for being respectful enough to ask, although you really didn't need to," Jessica said, moving closer to Emily so that she could embrace her. "Thank you, I can't tell you how much it means to me." Jessica broke away from the embrace and stepped back to look at Emily with the same amount of sincerity that was in her voice.

"Okay, I'm ready mommy," Jack came barreling down, albeit a much more tame whirlwind, but a whirlwind none the less.

"Alright, say goodbye to your aunt and let's get going," she ruffled his hair.

* * *

><p>Once they were inside the car, she turned to Jack and said, "So I think we should go to the diner and get some lunch and ice cream. I think the baby wants a juicy hamburger. Does that sound good?"<p>

"Yeah! I'm starved!" Jack answered her with enthusiasm.

She had just started to hum along with a tune on the radio when Jack interrupted her and asked, "When my baby brother or sister is born, are you going to love it more than me?"

Sensing the importance of the situation and realizing it wasn't in a joking manner that he asked; Emily immediately pulled the car over and put it in park. She turned to look at him and noticed him staring out of the window.

"Why do you think that, baby? Come on look at me, sweetheart, what's going on?" Emily implored, trying to resolve every aspect of the sensitive situation.

"Because you're my mommy but you're not my real mommy, but you'll be the baby's real mommy and you'll forget all about me. And so will daddy because the baby can't do nothing by itself," he sighed.

"Oh honey, I will love you and the baby just the same, you know why?"

Jack shook his head. "Well you love me, right? But you love your angel mommy too, both of us in different ways, right?"

Jack pondered this for a moment before coming to a realization and slowly nodding his head yes.

"Well, it will be almost the same when the baby comes. When we start to love another person, they don't take up all of our love. Our love grows bigger so nobody gets left out. I already love you so much, and right now as the baby's growing, so is my love, so that I have enough to love both of you just the same, and in different ways, like with me and your angel mommy. Do you understand, baby? Just become someone else comes into your life that doesn't mean there's no room left for them." Emily hoped she had put it in terms light enough for him to understand. After all, it was a tricky matter, and she hadn't ever had to deal with anything like it before.

"Yeah, I think I know what you mean. I love you and my angel mommy. I didn't stop loving her even though I have you now. Can I get mint chocolate chip?" He said, abruptly changing the subject as kids do.

"You can get any ice cream you want," she smiled at him, glad that she seemed to have done something right.

* * *

><p>Later that night, laying in bed, Emily turned over to Hotch who was engrossed in a novel.<p>

"Hey, can I talk to you for a second?" Emily said, picking at what was left of her nails.

"Yeah, penny for your thoughts?" He asked, setting the book down on the bedside table after hearing the seriousness in her voice.

"I already talked to Jessica about this and she seemed keen on the idea and well, I'd like to make a scrapbook for Jack. Of him and his mother. I just, I keep thinking about this baby, and if anything ever happened to me…"

Hotch opened his arms and gestured for her to come into them. She tucked her head under his chin as he kissed her temple and the top of her head. "I think that's a wonderful idea, sweetheart. Sometimes I can't believe this is real," he admitted. "After Hailey, I didn't think-" He trailed off, knowing there was no real need for him to finish his thoughts, because Emily already knew. Instead, he placed his hand on her stomach, knowing that he wouldn't feel anything yet, but relishing in the moment the thought that Emily was carrying _his_ child.

"I hope he looks like you," Emily said.

"Oh God, I hope not. I hope the baby looks like you, with your eyes." He kissed her lids ever so gently. "And your strong cheek bones." He kissed each of her cheeks next. "And your smile," he finished in a whisper, saving her lips for last.


End file.
